Student news wrap 19/04/18

Red Bull Can You Make It? Teams Make It to the Finish Line in Amsterdam

After one week, 459,399 km and 20,658 traded cans later, the Red Bull Can You Make It? teams arrived in Amsterdam, celebrating the journey of a lifetime. 198 teams of the 200 crossed the finish line after being on the road, using only Red Bull cans as their currency. The teams passed through 21 countries experiencing different weather conditions, cultures and traditions. Team G I T from Sweden, earned the top spot with a best overall score of 655 points. The team of three students managed to hit six checkpoints, traveling 4,140 km and trading 23 cans of Red Bull along the way. – Read the full story on the Business Wire site

Zimbabwe to open four new state universities

The Zimbabwe government has approved the opening of four new state universities. Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Amon Murwira said some of the universities had already started enrolling students. The minister said his ministry’s priority was to strengthen the learning and application of science in the country. He said that he wants innovative graduates who can go about creating jobs with new names. – Read more on The Herald site.

5 plead guilty in Florida State University student’s hazing death

Five Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brothers entered guilty pleas on Monday in connection with the November hazing death of a 20-year-old Florida State University student. The men pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor hazing in the case of Andrew Coffey, a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity pledge who died of alcohol poisoning on November 3. An autopsy found his blood alcohol level was .447, more than five times the legal limit to drive. Florida State University suspended all fraternity and sorority activities on campus in the wake of the death and Pi Kappa Phi’s national office said it would close its FSU chapter. – Read the full story on the ABC News site

Dundee University students get taste of space medicine (Scotland)

Two Dundee University students are considering careers in space medicine after completing internships with the European Space Agency (ESA). Amir Fathi and Neil Tan had meetings with experts including British astronaut Tim Peake during their eight weeks with the ESA. The fifth-year medical students carried out their internships at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. – Read more on the BBC News site

PM vows to scrap job quotas after huge student protests (Bangladesh)

Nationwide student protests paralysed campuses in Bangladesh last week as students demanded reform of the quota system reserving government jobs for particular groups. As violence escalated, a 20-member delegation met with government representatives. Speaking in Parliament, Sheikh Hasina announced said government job quotas would be scrapped.

“The quota system will be abolished,” she said, but described the protests as “irrational”. Rashed Khan, a joint convener of the main protest organiser, told University World News: “We have decided to postpone our movement as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that there will be no quotas in government jobs.” – Read the full story on the University World News site.